


zephyr (SOON TO BE REPOSTED!)

by polarityyy



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: 2ho, Bonds, Living Together, M/M, Selkie - Freeform, Songhwa, Woosan, artist woo, but soft-ish woosan, choi san selkie, forced to live together, hongsang, idiots living together, seongi, there's marriage, they fight but they're friends??
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2020-08-10 01:42:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20127283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polarityyy/pseuds/polarityyy
Summary: "Did the stars really say that we were going to be together?""Yes, they did.""You're not so bad, Fishbrains.""Shut up, you're drunk"===San, a selkie, finally ventures out into the human world after decades in the seaWooyoung, a human, is lonely and lacking inspiration, so he decides to go out one nightWhat would happen if Fate decides that they should meet?(this summary is horrible im cringing at myselfff)





	1. San

**Author's Note:**

> hi :D this is my very first ao3 fic - and fic in general, actually. i was initially very nervous but my friend convinced me to be more confident and, well, here i am. feel free to leave comments and ask questions about the characters if you wish, and i hope that you enjoy the story!!

_Selkies._

Creatures of the sea.

They are often swept under the term mermaid, and yet they are so much more. Once a selkie surfaces, they can become human - with the exception of a coat held tightly in their grip. Their most prized possession. And the only way they can turn back into a selkie is to slip back into the water with their coats. Selkie coats have another special purpose. Selkies are known to wed above water. Two selkies merely have to exchange coats to be wedded.

_For a human and a selkie to wed, however, all the human has to do is touch their coat._

===

Crystal water, distorting bright blue skies. That's what he saw above him. If he reached up, he would break the surface and maybe he could feel the wind against his hand. Wind, it was something that you don't ever encounter as a selkie.

"San," Hongjoong's voice was calm in his mind. "We're close to land, don't blow our cover now." San rolled his eyes, diving deeper into the water to join his friends. He saw Hongjoong and Mingi, who was doing loops underwater. He playfully flicked his tail at Mingi, catching him in the shoulder.

Mingi looked at him with murder in his eyes, "San, I'm gonna kill you." Mingi rushed at him and he laughed, noiseless in the water. He let Mingi catch him, and struggled a little as Mingi started to poke him.

"Why did I decide to take you guys with me?" Hongjoong shook his head.

"This is the first time San actually wants to come with us! Don't ruin it with your old man attitude," Mingi's voice was almost too loud in San's head. San glared at him pointedly. He had reasons for not coming along.

San shook away the feeling, "Are we almost there?"

"Give it like 30 minutes, we'll start seeing coral. We have to wait till nighttime unless you want to be caught naked by some humans," Hongjoong's thoughts were calm and calculated. San looked over to his friends. He was glad that they were there.

Hongjoong was his dependable brother-figure. He was the only family that San had. Mingi was his best friend. If Hongjoong were the lines, Mingi would be the color filling up the painting. They gave him so much to explore and all their memories would stay with San for a long time.

"We're here," Mingi shouted and San almost wished he had a remote to tone down the volume that Mingi's voice projected in his mind. He shook his head, following closely behind Hongjoong.

The sky had turned dark up above, San noticed a few lights cutting through the water. Lighthouses, he deduced. He only knew about them through Hongjoong and Mingi's stories. It was odd to think about. The world must've changed a lot in the years he was gone.

"Hey Mingi," San willed himself to look at the dark ocean below. "Do you think humans are better now?"

"I think they've learned especially since the last time you were here," Mingi replied, grabbing San's hand. San hummed, following Mingi into a dark place. He gripped tighter on Mingi's hand, the odd darkness warping around them.

"San, surface."

So he did. He pushed himself through the water, breaking into the air. He felt a slight tingle, then a burn as his lungs were deprived of water. This was not supposed to happen. He felt arms pulling him above the water even more. He thrashed. No, no, no. He had to get back in the water.

A flash of white invaded his vision. He didn't know if it was real or if it was in his mind. He gasped, taking in his first breaths of air. He opened his eyes to see his two friends smiling down at him.

He saw Hongjoong's mouth open, "Welcome to the surface." San shifted, staring at his lower half. A soft, fur pelt covered his lower half. He tugged on it, revealing two legs. He moved around his legs, at awe at how they moved.

"Hey, we have no time, let's quickly change into some clothes and head to my apartment," Hongjoong spoke again. His voice sounded different. A lot sharper and more real. San felt dizzy. He was really a human.

"San, quickly. We can't let anyone find you like this," Mingi hoisted his limp body up. San experimentally stood on his legs. It felt like he was on stilts or standing on something unstable. He frowned, not liking the discomfort.

"You'll get used to it. It's been a while," Hongjoong said, walking towards a few big rocks. Mingi helped him hobble over to the stone. San was slowly getting accommodated, his legs feeling more natural by the second. He moved his foot in a circle, leaning against the wall. It was very different from having a tail, after all.

San caught a soft material that was flung at him. It was furry, brown in color. He ran his hand along it, the feeling familiar.

"That's your coat, idiot," Mingi laughed. "Don't lose it." He wrapped the coat around himself. It felt alive almost. San felt warm instantly.

"If a human touches it..." Hongjoong warned lightly.

"They'll be bound, I get it," San spoke quietly. Mingi smiled brighter. His voice sounded odd, hearing the sound echo against the wall. There was no need for communicating through their mind connection when they could talk.

"You studied right?" Hongjoong swapped over from their native tongue. San nodded. Hongjoong always returned with countless books and study materials for San. He insisted on San learning the language of humans too. San was only fluent in one, but Hongjoong told him that it was used almost everywhere.

"Is the pronunciation right?" San said slowly. Hongjoong practically beamed at him, patting him on the back.

"You'll have an accent for a little bit, but after a few days you'll be okay," Mingi said, the words slipping effortlessly off his tongue. "You're stubborn San, you wouldn't even turn to study in the air hall." San shuddered, thinking about the rooms they had in their city. A room where there was no water, a selkie could safely turn into a human and stay there. But even if he was studying, he refused to turn.

"Where do we go now?" San asked, mouth feeling strange. Mingi threw him something else. He unfolded it, slightly confused with what he was handed.

"Once you get dressed, we can go to Joong's apartment," Mingi said mockingly. Dressed? San didn't notice that Mingi and Hongjoong were putting weird fabric on their body. Clothes, his mind supplied. He held up the fabric in his hands. It was smooth and it smelled good.

"Here, let me help you," Hongjoong said, grabbing the dark-colored shirt. Hongjoong rolled it up, pressing the biggest hole against San's head. He flinched, surprised as the shirt warped around his head. It fit him perfectly. Hongjoong pushed his hands through the other two holes as San watched, fascinated with the shirt.

Mingi chuckled, "You look like a lost puppy. Act natural later on and just watch what we're doing if you're confused." San was annoyed that he had to rely on them in the human realm. He didn't want to burden his friends or stop them from doing things even though they wanted to.

After San struggled to push his legs through the holes of those pants, they were ready to go. He huffed, annoyed by how complex humans were in their attire. He followed Mingi after he put on a pair of shoes. He didn't like how chunky they were, they made his feet feel stiff.

"We'll get you some clothes and some shoes that actually fit you first," Hongjoong laughed. His eyes sparkled and San could tell he was excited to have him there. San let himself smile a bit, clutching his coat in anticipation.

San heard some strange noises, making him look over at the source. A man was sitting with a strange-looking object. It looked like it was made of wood, and it made a nice sound. He was talking but it sounded...different. There was something about his voice.

"He's singing," Mingi explained, before pointing at the object he was holding. "That's a guitar. You saw it in the dictionary right?" San nodded. He remembered seeing the pictures that Hongjoong brought him.

"It makes music, yes?" Mingi nodded eagerly, probably happy that San was talking more. San smiled a little wider. He sighed out a little, entering what seemed to be a building. A shop, he saw from the writing on the front.

Hongjoong and Mingi started milling around, leaving San frozen in his spot. He started to walk around himself, trying to seem normal. He was human, yeah definitely. He grasped his coat tighter as a human passed by him.

"San, come here and try this on," Hongjoong called out. He could see Mingi waving from what looked like it could be what humans call a closet. Mingi held up the shirt to his body. It was the color of sea urchin black.

"Why are the arm curtains less long?" San asked, pointing at how short they were.

Mingi laughed, "Did he really memorize the dictionary?" San scrunched his nose at Mingi's teasing.

"Shut up," Hongjoong muttered. "He just doesn't know what they look like, sneaking in pictures wasn't easy okay? Those are sleeves. This is a sleeveless shirt."

He turned to Mingi, "Do you think it's okay for him to wear something so...revealing?"

"I mean, he's got the build," Mingi said, "His arms would look nice. No homo."

Hongjoong nodded, letting a little laugh slip, "Alright, just grab a few normal shirts, some jackets, sweats, and maybe jeans? I think San would look good in those." They went off their separate ways, leaving a confused San to stand there. He sighed, plopping onto a nearby chair. Humans sit sometimes, he reminded himself, it was to rest their legs.

"Here San," Hongjoong guided him into the stall. "Put these on and we'll leave. I already paid for it." San looked at the shirt and black pants. He heard the curtain that was hanging behind him close. He pulled off the shirt he had on and swapped it out for the new one. This one was closer to his body, a loose second skin. He put on the fitted pants, the material feeling different against his skin. He threw his fur over his shoulder.

Mingi let out a low whistle as he drew the curtain back, "You look decent San." San bowed his head slightly, grinning along with his friends. They exited the store, walking through a group of people.

"Do not drop your furs, do not let anyone touch your furs or else you'll be in trouble," Hongjoong said, serious about his words. "If Fate tries to pull some tricks on us, pray that it is nothing serious." San looked up at the sky. It was something that he sometimes did even in the ocean. The sky was one of the few things that he wished the ocean had. Where there was darkness, there will always be stars. He saw a few stars dotting the sky. Not as many as he had hoped to see.

He trained his eyes forward just in time to see a body collide with his.

He stumbled, careening backwards and meeting the concrete. He winced, rubbing his arms. He looked at the person who had crashed into him, only to see them holding something familiar.

His breath caught in his throat.

The man smiled at him, sitting on the ground awkwardly. His hair was wind-swept, a light silvery color. He looked unharmed and just as startled as San was.

In his hands, he held San's life. His precious fur. He saw a glint in the sky. A bright shooting star. That wasn't there before. The sky was now dotted with stars. Fate. This was the work of Fate.

He wanted to throw up.

"Sorry about that, I was running from my friends. Here," The man - his bonded - spoke softly, handing San the fur he had in his hands. San clutched at it, mouth dry as the man kept staring intently at him.

"San!" "Wooyoung!"

The simultaneous shouts made the two turn away from each other. Hongjoong crouched down next to him. He didn't speak at first, mouth drawn into a thin line.

"He touched your fur?" Hongjoong's quiet and calm voice swept away the hurricane of thoughts in his mind. San nodded, watching the man - his bonded, Wooyoung - stand.

"Are you okay?" Wooyoung spoke, extending out a hand. San took it, feeling the invisible strings of the bond tighten at the contact. San's jaw worked open and closed for a little, no words escaping his lips. He let go of Wooyoung's hand after he stood.

"Yes, yes he's fine," Hongjoong said, a fake smile on his face. "Sorry, but can I talk to your friend for a second?" He pointed at the man standing next to Wooyoung. His hair was blond and it seemed to sparkle as he moved to follow Hongjoong.

Mingi made his way to his side, "Hey...bad luck?" San shook his head. He could feel himself burning up already, the air supercharged with the power of their bond.

"It was fate Mingi," San murmured, seeing Wooyoung curiously looking at him. "I saw the stars and a few fell. It...it was fate."

"Mingi, I don't think I can-"

"He's feeling it too, San. Look," He tilted his head toward Wooyoung. San flicked his gaze upward only to catch Wooyoung's piercing stare. San felt his spine tingle, seeing a beautiful smile blossom on Wooyoung's face.

"He keeps staring at you. It's probably because I'm too close to you right now," Mingi took a step away, nudging San in the arm. "Why don't you talk to him?" San gulped. Talk to him? A human? Talk to someone that he accidentally bon-

"Hi, my name's Wooyoung."

That smile was still on his face and San felt his stomach doing flips. He was right there, how did he get there so fast? San took an involuntary step back, placing a little distance between them.

"I-I'm San," He said, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth.

"Nice to meet you," Wooyoung said, rocking forward and backward as he spoke. "Sorry, can I hug you? I don't know, I just feel like hugging you." Was hugging something that was common with strangers? San felt stupid for not asking Hongjoong for a manners book. But then he saw his eyes, determined and most definitely shining with yellow light.

Oh god. He was feeling it too.

San could almost see the lines of light that connected them. Wooyoung looked a bit antsy at San's sudden silence. San felt his heart wrench as Wooyoung frowned at the ground. He reached for him. Wooyoung sighed against his shoulder as he was hugged. He was hugging his bonded. If it were anyone else he would flinch away. San could smell a hint of something sweet on his skin. The person that he would spend the rest of his life with. He smiled, feeling his heart soar.

His bonded was a human.

Human.

San felt his stomach plummet and suddenly he couldn't breathe. He pulled away, seeing Wooyoung smile which made him happy but, well, he was human. Wooyoung opened his mouth as if to say something but a wave of nausea hit San. His balance failed him, his vision tilting left.

But Hongjoong was there.

Hongjoong held him up, smiling again, "Sorry, my brother is feeling a little sick. Here, have his number if you want to call him. Hongjoong brandished a small piece of paper. Wooyoung looked back at him, smiling brightly once again and accepting the piece of paper.

"Bye-bye San." He closed his eyes, the urge to throw up even stronger now. He opened them again to see Wooyoung looking worriedly at him. He was waiting for a reply.

"Bye Wooyoung." It was barely a whisper, but Wooyoung looked relieved. He gave a little shake of the hand. He watched his head of silvery hair disappear as the crowd swallowed him up.

"Bathroom. Now," Hongjoong said, urging San to move. He stumbled, following Hongjoong's guidance as Mingi parted the crowd in front of them. San's fur was taken and he made a noise of panic before realizing that bile was halfway up his throat. Mingi's gentle hand guided San's head somewhere, San was only able to feel the cold rim of something as he spilled his stomach's contents. It tasted horrible. It felt horrible.

"It's normal," He heard Hongjoong explaining. "They're supposed to stay together for the first night. Or at least close. But they're too far away, I'm sure he's feeling it too. He might even get sick tonight."

"Is that why you gave them your number?" Mingi asked, hands running through San's hair.

"Yeah, I told the blond one that they were bonded, which he didn't believe. I told him to call the number I gave Wooyoung if he suddenly gets an abnormally high fever."

"Let's get San to your apartment," Mingi said, keeping San's head upright.

San felt awful, to say the least. Mingi had hailed what Hongjoong called a taxi. He was sitting, facing the window as the vehicle moved. His skin crawled, flashing hot and cold every few seconds. He wanted so badly to go back and hug Wooyoung again because it felt so good and so right. But every instinct in him is fighting that. He was human and humans were bad. Humans took everything from him before, they wouldn't hesitate to do it again, given the chance.

Mingi helped him get out of the car and he was halfway through the door when a wave of emotion hit him. His knees buckled and he fell to the floor. The liquid kept coming out from his eyes. He furiously rubbed it away.

"Hey, shh, it's okay, you're crying. It's okay," Mingi took his hands and stilled them. He was crying. His bonded was human. He sobbed louder, caving into Mingi's embrace.

"M-Mingi, he's-he's a, a human," San cried into his shoulder, feeling the other lift him.

"It's okay Sannie," Hongjoong said from somewhere close by. "We'll help you get through this." San felt something warm being wrapped around him. A big, fluffy blanket. San cuddled into it as Mingi held his hand.

"I think you should let go, Min," Hongjoobg said, sitting opposite of San. "His bonded can feel it probably."

"W-why a-am I crying s-so much?" San asked, fatigued from all the crying.

"You guys are supposed to stay together, especially on the first night," Hongjoong said gently. "It strengthens your bond. You're too far away from each other."

"The call should be coming anytime soon," Mingi said, leaning back calmly. San felt a headache worse than all the ones he had before. He felt like throwing up all over again, his stomach turning coils.

Something rang out, the sound too loud to San. He heard someone talking and the blanket was pulled tighter against him. He was being moved. "Hold on, San," Mingi murmured next to his head. San was too nauseous to realize what was happening around him.

San blinked and he was in front of a house. He saw the door open, the same blond guy from earlier standing behind the door. He was pushed in, stumbling through the door.

"I...I didn't want to believe you. I mean selkies and bonding...it seems so crazy," The blond said, arms defensively across his chest. "But Wooyoung is sick just like you said and no medicine is working on him. Help him."

"My friend needs help too," Mingi said seriously. "Where is he?" San felt too hot. His bones felt like they were melting. There was another door he was pushed through. There was a sleeping figure, tossing and turning on the bed.

His heart felt like it was exploding.

San staggered, wanting to wrap him in a hug and lie with him forever. He held back, falling next to the bed. The tears rose again as he found Wooyoung's hand. He squeezed it tightly, hoping that something - anything - would happen.

Relief doused the fires of pain that engulfed his body.

Wooyoung stilled, turning towards him completely. His head pounded again, pushing himself onto the bed. He sat there, hand still in Wooyoung's hand. His eyes were closed. He didn't want to open them. He would get too confused.

"Get closer. It would make the pain go away," Hongjoong said. San turned towards him, opening teary eyes. He gulped when he saw the blond staring at him intensely. San scooted closer, slipping a hand into Wooyoung's hair.

Something clicked inside of him.

He sighed out, feeling the air cool his hot skin. A different type of warmth started to fill him. His hair was soft, softer than San imagined it to be. San felt his heart beat faster as Wooyoung nuzzled his head into his thigh. San wiped his tears, his heart beating faster for a different reason. He looked innocent under a blanket of sleep. San kept stroking his hair, entranced by the sleeping other.

"Check his temperature," Hongjoong said to the blond. The blond came closer, reaching to touch Wooyoung. San felt queasy at the sight - as if he was going to take Wooyoung from him.

He must've noticed, drawing his hand away, "Sorry, may I? My name's Seonghwa." San said yes, looking at his lap as he checked the temperature.

"He's back to normal," He said, stunned by the discovery. "Thank you." The last part was directed at San. He bowed his head towards the blond - Seonghwa.

The party of three left, Mingi shooting him a quick smile. San focused his attention on making his bonded more comfortable. He untangled the blanket from his limbs, spreading it over his small figure. He sat back down, leaning back against the wall.

He couldn't hate his bonded, could he? But he couldn't just forgive humans because his bonded is one. San felt the tears rising again, unwanted memories swamping his mind. He cried for hours before he tired, silent and alone next to the person he would spend his life with.


	2. Wooyoung

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> henlo i am back with another update!! i actually might publish a oneshot soon :D i had a small writer's block so i decided to write a oneshot It looks like i'll be able to finish it soon, i'm excited to write some of the parts!! without further a do, enjoy the update <3

Wooyoung opened his eyes lazily, breathing in softly. He remembered being sick the night before, but now he felt oddly content. He sighed, burrowing into the pillow. It felt a little hard, but he didn't mind. Then the "pillow" shifted. His eyes snapped open to see a guy sitting on his bed. He leaned back and realized that the guy's hand was hidden in his hair. So he did what any sane person would do.

He pushed him off the bed.

The guy hissed in pain as he woke up suddenly. Wooyoung rubbed at his eyes, trying to make sure he didn't see wrong. He knew this guy. He knew this guy and remembered him because he had asked him for a random hug just last night. When he was out drunk, having fun. What was he doing here?

"You!" Wooyoung hissed, scrambling back on the bed. "Why are you here?" Wooyoung searched for his phone. He was sure that he left it next to him after he got the fever. He saw the guy standing up, dusting off his pants.

Wooyoung panicked, scenarios running in his head. This guy might be a stalker. He might've been here to kidnap him. He was here to kill him, a hitman perhaps. No, the only slightly logical explanation was that he was here to rob him.

"Look, your friend-"

He chucked a pillow at him with all his strength, aiming straight for his head. Somehow, the guy caught it easily, setting it on the bed. He threw the next closest thing to him, his blanket.

"Are you robbing me? Am I being robbed?" The guy looked confused. Wooyoung took this as a perfect opportunity to hit him and escape the room. He lunged forward. He cursed as he was caught easily, causing them both to fall on the bed. He kicked at him, catching him in the thigh.

"Humans I swear, stop fighting!" Wooyoung's eyes widened at the loudness of his voice. That was enough time for the guy to pin his legs in between his knees. Wooyoung struggled, this was not the way he was going to die. He looked up at him, pleading for his life without words.

"Let me explain first," The guy sighed out, hair brushing against Wooyoung's forehead. He loosened his grip on Wooyoung's wrists, making Wooyoung exhale in relief. He opened his mouth to scream when the door swung open.

"We heard a no- what the heck." Seonghwa looked at the guy with murder in his eyes. There were two other people with him. A guy with a mullet smiled at him and gave a thumbs up. Another taller dude had his mouth agape, staring between the two before his expression soured.

"Someone bleach my eyes," The tall guy groaned dramatically, disappearing from the doorway. Who were these strangers?

"What exactly are you doing?" Seonghwa asked, words sharp and menacing.

"He was attacking me! He's here to rob m-" The guy above him was quick to cover his mouth with a hand, staring straight into his eyes with a warning. Wooyoung stopped struggling immediately, trying to get out of this situation.

He sat up, pulling Wooyoung with him, "He woke up panicked, pushed me off the bed and tried to punch me. Oh, he kicked me too, which hurt by the way." Wooyoung glared at him pointedly. He thought he was about to die. It was a natural response. The grip on Wooyoung's wrist was released. He caught the guy looking apologetically over at him as he rubbed his wrists.

"Why is he here and why do you know him?" Wooyoung crossed his arms.

"It's a long story, Woo," Seonghwa sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Let's eat first and then we can explain everything." Wooyoung stood and walked towards the comforting familiarity that was Seonghwa. He held on to Seonghwa's hand, trying to banish the images of being stabbed out of his mind.

"They're not gonna kill us right?" Wooyoung asked quietly.

Seonghwa smiled down at him, ruffling his hair, "No, they're harmless. The tall guy sure is annoying though." Wooyoung heard him gasp sharply, turning into the living room.

"Mingi! What are you doing to the pillows!" Well, at least now Wooyoung knows that tall guy's name was Mingi. He was sitting in the middle of Seonghwa's best pillows. He had constructed a small castle. Wooyoung wasn't gonna lie, he had thought of doing that before. If only he wasn't scared of Seonghwa. The guy from before approached the pillow fort hesitantly.

"Nope, sorry San, you can't come in here because you were just making out with that human." Wooyoung flushed red, watching the guy hit Mingi with a spare pillow.

"Excuse me!" Wooyoung's voice was loud, but his heartbeat was louder. "That 'human' has a name, and it's Wooyoung. And we weren't making out! He just pinned me to the bed!"

Mingi smirked coyly, "Sounds like the start of a make-out session to m-" The guy kicked one of the pillows, causing the fort to fall in one sweep.

"Serves you right," Wooyoung smiled, kicking Mingi in the leg lightly.

"Guys, you're stressing out Seonghwa," Hongjoong pointed out. He gulped. Seonghwa looked about ready to kick out him, Mingi and that guy.

"Clean this up or else I won't give you guys food." Wooyoung scrambled to grab the pillows that were by his feet. Seonghwa's threats were always serious.

He walked into the kitchen, seeing Seonghwa's breakfast-for-lunch being plated. Eggs and bacon. The master chef must be too distracted to cook one of his amazing meals. Wooyoung took a plate and sat across from the mullet guy.

"My name's Hongjoong. The idiot in the fort was Mingi. And that," He said pointing to the guy who was in his room before. "Is San. He's the reason that you're better."

"He's a doctor?" Wooyoung said. He started feeling guilty about pushing the person who helped him off his bed.

Hongjoong tilted his head to the left, "Not quite. You'll get your explanation after we eat."

"San," Hongjoong called out. Wooyoung continued to eat, watching the guy - San - walk over.

"This is a fork, you used it to stab food that's big enough to stab," Hongjoong said as if San didn't know what a fork was. San nodded. Wooyoung found it kind of odd.

"Does he not know what those are?" Wooyoung chimed in. Wooyoung watched San and Hongjoong both glance at him. There was a certain panic in San's eyes before they returned to normal.

"He hasn't been here in a long time," Hongjoong said carefully. "Here you go. This is your breakfast. It's eggs and bacon."

"Land animals?" San asked, watching Hongjoong closely.

"Yeah, they're food here." San frowned slightly at that. Wooyoung wrinkled his nose. Maybe he was allergic, but 'land animal' was a weird term to use.

"Are you vegetarian?" Seonghwa asked him a question this time. San shook his head, finally biting into the eggs. He seemed to process his thoughts before tasting the bacon. San seemed to enjoy the food, continuing to wolf down the entire plate. Wooyoung gripped his fork tighter, tearing He had been staring at San this whole time. Why was he even staring?

He put his dishes in the sink, before going into the bathroom. He washed his face, the cold water sharpening his thoughts. What was it about San that made him want to stare?

He frowned, going to sit next to Seonghwa. Seonghwa smiled at him and held out his hand for Wooyoung to hold once again. The Mingi guy was talking about his favorite foods to San, who looked just a little bored.

"Okay, should we start now?" Seonghwa asked, voice strong. The atmosphere changed immediately - turning steely and cold - everyone shifting in their seats.

"First and foremost, Wooyoung and San are bonded," The way that Hongjoong spoke was eloquent and practiced. "Essentially it's like marriage for our kind. Take some time to process that." The breath escaped Wooyoung's lips in a gasp. Him? Married to that stranger?

"You guys aren't humans apparently," Seonghwa said, clearly he was barely entertaining the strange man's words. "What proof do you have?" Not wanting to believe in their nonsense, Wooyoung squeezed Seonghwa's hand a little harder. It was all a lie, right? They were joking. Of course.

They seemed to have an argument amongst themselves, glancing at each other with glares and looks before Mingi stood up. The other two grinned triumphantly at Mingi, as he shuffled over to a bag to grab what seemed like a fur. It was almost like the one he helped San pick up last night. This one was darker in color and bigger in size.

"Follow me, gentleman and those heathens," He said, eyes shooting lasers through San and Hongjoong's heads. "That bathroom has a tub, right?" Wooyoung nodded, exhaling lightly. What was he planning to do?

He went into the bathroom first, locking it behind him. After a few seconds, he unlocked it.

"Don't come in just yet!" His muffled voice rang out. Seonghwa rolled his eyes with a huff. Wooyoung was beginning to get annoyed as well.

"Okay, now come in." Mingi was sitting in the bathtub. Naked.

"What kind of joke is this," Seonghwa hissed, looking away. His ears started to turn a bit red as Mingi smirked up at him.

"I didn't bring you here to stare at my body, sweetheart," Mingi said, turning on the water. Wooyoung saw that the fur was covering his hips and his legs and sighed in relief.

San looked a bit impatient, "Min, quickly. We have no time." Hongjoong started helping him fill up the tub.

Wooyoung kept staring at the fur, wondering why he would bring it with him into the water. He saw the tub fill up slowly, reaching the halfway mark. Just as the water started to reach its last quarter, it happened.

Something changed.

Wooyoung let out a gasp, gripping onto Seonghwa's arm. No, it must be fake. That can't be real. It was an illusion of some sort. But a little voice in his head told him that it couldn't be fake.

Mingi had a tail.

"Sweetheart? Look down," Mingi said, calling out to Seonghwa. Seonghwa's eyes skimmed the skin of his tail - deep blue in color - and he went pale.

"Seonghwa?" Wooyoung was worried for him. Seonghwa stumbled back a little, gasping. Wooyoung caught most of his weight as he went slack.

Hongjoong took Seonghwa from him, carrying him out the bathroom. Wooyoung looked over at Mingi who was smirking, tail swishing in the water.

"What...what is this?" Wooyoung asked. "Why does he have a tail?" He glanced over at San who was already looking at him.

"He's a selkie. And so am I and Hongjoong," San said, starting to drain the water from the tub. "If we have our fur and water, we'll turn into our normal form. If we are without one, we reside in our human form."

"That's madness," Wooyoung said, running a hand through his hair. "So are there mermaids too?"

"Mermaids are an umbrella term," Mingi said. "Under it, there are selkies, sirens, and some other subspecies."

"So werewolves and vampires, do they exist too?" Wooyoung asked.

"If they do, we'll never know until we meet one," San said quietly. He was leaning against his sink, looking so perfectly calm and composed. Wooyoung felt like his world was flipped upside down and then set on fire. He went to the living room, Seonghwa still passed out on the couch. He rushed over, quickly feeling his forehead for a temperature.

"Hey," Hongjoong appeared suddenly from behind him. "Is Seonghwa your boyfriend?"

"No, we're just close friends," Wooyoung flicked his eyes to Hongjoong. "What? You're interested?" Hongjoong just shook his head in reply with no further explanation.

Seonghwa seemed to stir, his limbs shifting as he woke, "Wooyoung? What happened? I thought I saw a mermaid."

"You did," Mingi grinned from beside him. "You passed out as soon as you saw me." His hair was still dripping as he shook his head, droplets of water flying everywhere.

"I think I'm gonna pass out again," Seonghwa said. His eyes closed momentarily before he sat up.

A towel was thrown at Mingi's head, "Stop bullying Seonghwa." The owner of the voice appeared soon after, taking a seat next to Hongjoong.

"You said something in the beginning? About Wooyoung being bonded?" Wooyoung nodded. He didn't want to be married to a...a fish.

"Yes, the bond was established the moment Wooyoung touched San's fur. It is both a blessing and a curse, that fur is. It's the very thing that connects us to the sea. Yet as soon as a human touches it, that selkie is instantly theirs." San? His?

"Woah, woah, woah. Wait a second. You're saying that I'm married to him right?" Hongjoong nodded at Wooyoung's question. "Isn't there a way to get a divorce? Break the bond?"

"Well...there is..."

"What is it? Let's do it now and get this over with, right Wooyoung?" Wooyoung agreed with Seonghwa's words. He wanted to break this...this bond. He wasn't going to be married to a fish.

"No," Mingi said shortly. "Definitely not." There was no humor or any previous trace of jokes in his voice.

Wooyoung made a frustrated noise, "Why not? It was an accident, and I don't want it and you guys don't want it either." Wooyoung felt himself growing a splitting headache, wincing as he touched his forehead. This really was not how he expected to kick off his weekend.

"Sorry, could I ask you to speak more gently on the matter?" Hongjoong said, eyes pinned on San. "I think you can feel it, but does something hurt right now?" Wooyoung nodded slowly. What the heck does his headache have to do with anything?

"That's residual feeling. It happens when the bond is still fresh, or if the bonded feels an overwhelming emotion," Hongjoong finally looks at him and his eyes are serious. "San's in pain right now." Wooyoung glanced at him. His fists clench and unclench on his lap and he seemed to be focusing on a spot on the table. He was taking slow, steady breaths that seemed to stutter every once in a while. There was discomfort - clear as day - on his face.

"It's in our biology to feel pain when we are unwanted," Hongjoong continued on. "So please, use kind words."

"I'm saying this because I can sense how bad this is for him, but can you please just sit next to him and reassure him a little?" Mingi said, the expression on his face still serious. "Just until it goes away."

Wooyoung reluctantly walked over to Mingi's spot beside San. San didn't even look up once. It must really be bad. He didn't know what to do, looking at Seonghwa for an answer. Seonghwa nodded towards his hand. Wooyoung reached out to graze it.

"San? Look at me," Wooyoung said, nestling his palm against San's. San immediately looked at him. His eyes were intense, the expression on his face unreadable. He ran his thumb up and down the back of San's hand. A small relief flooded him, the headache disappearing in an instant.

"Does it still hurt?" Wooyoung said shakily. He wasn't too sure what else to say. San just stared at him, not saying anything in return. Wooyoung leaned forward slightly, hesitating. What was he supposed to do? San pulled him closer, chin resting against his shoulder - not quite hugging, but holding - lips almost brushing his ear. He murmured a few strange sentences, not anything he understood.

He caught one word. "Zyphrus." San had said it so warmly - so sweetly - that Wooyoung felt his heart speeding up. He jerked back, much to San's disappointment it seemed. There was a small frown on his face before his face ironed out once more.

"Thank you," San said, no longer looking at him. Wooyoung stood up, sitting next to Seonghwa. Seonghwa held his hand but it felt cold. It felt cold and he didn't know how to get the warmth back.

"I don't recommend breaking the bond either. San can potentially fall fatally ill or lose his ability to turn into his human form. As for you," Hongjoong cleared his throat. "It'll feel like someone ripping out your chest, or so I've heard. The consequence of breaking the bond with humans have not fully been explored since selkies don't usually bond with humans."

"So what now?" Seonghwa asked. Clearly, he wasn't the only one who felt overwhelmed by all this information.

"Well, we wait. We wait until the bond is fully formed and the residual feelings go away so you guys can live without each other. You guys need to stay together of course," Hongjoong sighed out.

"And how long will that be?" Wooyoung asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Maybe a month? After a month we can test for residual feelings and if you guys are done then we can depart. We might visit every few months just to make sure the bond doesn't break."

"Okay, what do I have to do to make the process go faster?"

"Would it be okay for him to live with you? It would be the fastest if you guys saw each other every day and are always close by." Wooyoung felt punched in the stomach. All the air left him in a sweep. He was going to live with a stranger, a half-animal.

"He's uncomfortable," San said, making Wooyoung look up from his thoughts. Was he that obvious?

"Okay, he can sleep in my apartment and stay in Wooyoung's apartment during the day," Seonghwa suggested suddenly. Wooyoung looked at him as if he was crazy.

"I don't mind him living with me, Hwa, just that we don't share a bed," Wooyoung said. "Also don't do anything weird and we have a deal." Seonghwa had this look of betrayal on his face.

"Great," Hongjoong let a smile slip onto his face. "We'll discuss more with Seonghwa in his apartment and drop off San's clothes later."

"Lead the way, Hwa," Mingi said the name in a funny tone.

Seonghwa grimaced, "I'll ask them a few more questions, you stay here and scream if he does anything weird." They left in two blinks of an eye. The air quickly turned awkward, Wooyoung tucking his knees to his chest.

A laugh bubbled out of him, "This is absolute madness. Yesterday all was normal in the world and then now I'm married to a half-fish." The words were harsh but Wooyoung couldn't bring himself to care. The absurdity of the situation finally dawned on him.

"Take that back," San said quietly. A strange look passed over his features.

"What? The half-fish thing? There are worse things to call someone," Wooyoung ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know where all this anger was coming from.

"Take that back," San said, tone still even. A surge of adrenaline shocked him. He wanted to make San mad so he had a reason to hate him.

"No. No, I did the proper thing and I gave you back your fur and then now I'm married to you. I'm not taking anything back," Wooyoung felt a flash of something inside him.

"Can you shut up?" San said, his voice raising just a little. "You think that I want this? Why would I wanna be bonded to a human? I should have never come here. If I would've known that I would've ended up bonded to a human I would never leave the ocean." San said the word human with such hatred. And Wooyoung wanted to cry. Simple as that. He wanted to apologize, to run away. To do something. But he couldn't do anything. San must've sensed it too, because suddenly they were both standing, trying to get closer - even if they didn't want to admit it. Even San's gaze made him feel better. He shivered, stopping himself from closing the distance.

"I'm sorry I called you those mean names," Wooyoung said with a huff. "We have to work together on this, so let's at least be friends." Wooyoung felt the rising emotions empty out and a calmness dropped over him.

San looked at him with distaste, "Why would I wanna be friends with a human?" Wooyoung rollled his eyes, scoffing. Now it was San's turn to be unreasonable, it seemed.

"Okay then, stay one meter away from me at all times," Wooyoung said, sitting back down on the couch. "Don't touch me without my permission."

San just nodded along, "Fine. What are we going to do about sleeping?"

"You can sleep in the guest room," Wooyoung pointed out. "It'll be easier that way. You can use that bathroom. You'll put your clothes in the drawer below the sink."

"Um, which one is the sink?" San asked. Was he being serious? Wooyoung stood up, going into the bathroom. San followed behind him.

"This is the sink, it's for washing hands. That is the toilet, it's for...doing your business. That's the tub, and that is the shower, for taking a bath," Wooyoung looked around. "That's soap, you wash your body with that. The shampoo is for your hair. That's a toothbrush and toothpaste, for brushing your teeth."

"Do you understand?" Wooyoung turned around. San was right behind him, staring at him and eyes wandering the bathroom. If he looked down, they could've...

"Sorry, one meter away right?" San sidestepped out of the bathroom. Wooyoung sighed out. A pang of regret hit him for some reason.

"Okay, what else do I have to show you? Oh, do not touch anything in the kitchen. It's dangerous," Wooyoung scanned the kitchen. "You can go in the fridge. Bread is okay to eat without cooking, so is milk. But please don't try and eat the meat or eggs, it might make you sick."

"Alright, princess," San said. "So no touching this or that. And I'm sleeping on the couch. I'm only to use that bathroom."

"Did you just call me princess?"

"Why? Is that a problem?" San smirked a little and Wooyoung just groaned. Impossible. Absolutely impossible. He was like a kid.

The front door opened and Seonghwa entered, "Woo, can I talk with you? In private?" San raised his eyebrow at the jab, going over to sit on the couch.

"Are you sure about this?" Seonghwa asked, anxious eyes scanning Wooyoung's features. "I mean, he's a stranger, not to mention something that shouldn't exist in this world."

"Hwa, I think it's fine. He's harmless, he really knows nothing about our world except for what I and that Hongjoong guy taught him," Wooyoung responded. "Also he wouldn't hurt me."

"See, how do you know that?"

"Because it would hurt him too, duh," Wooyoung said, looking over at San. His nose was pressed into a book and he seemed to be reading it.

"Don't you have a meeting with Yeosang today?" Wooyoung teased.

Seonghwa groaned, "Okay, okay. If anything happens, scream." Wooyoung pushed him towards the door, sending him off. He went back to sit across from San. He noticed the book he was reading and grinned.

"That book is written by my friend, Yeosang. Actually, he's meeting with Seonghwa in a few hours to talk about his next idea," Wooyoung said proudly. San looked up, giving him a soft hum before going back to reading.

"Who taught you to read?"

"Joong did."

"He brought you books?"

"Not many."

"What is it like down there?"

"Beter than here."

Wooyoung sighed. The conversation was going nowhere. He leaned back, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV. San jumped at the noise, covering his ear with one hand.

"What is that?" He asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"It's a TV, for watching movies and shows," Wooyoung turned down the volume.

"Wooyoung?" Wooyoung looked towards him. "Will you teach me more?" He waited for a heartbeat before answering.

"Sure," Wooyoung said. Maybe San wasn't a bad guy afterall?

He paused before he spoke again, "Humans. Always the same."

"What do you mean by that?" The TV was reduced to background noise, Wooyoung focusing on San instead.

"You guys always explore and learn new things. You like to teach others. But as soon as someone is different," San looked up again. "You learn you can use them. Maybe even take advantage of them." Wooyoung was confused. It wasn't...true, right? He was teaching San because he didn't know better. He was teaching San so the process would go faster. It was for both of them, he decided. But he still felt unsure. He was left to stare at San as he read, wondering why he held such a strong dislike towards humans.

Wooyoung heard a knock on the door. That was quick. He opened the door to see Hongjoong there.

"Where's the other guy?"

"Oh, he's bothering Seonghwa again. San," Hongjoong called out. San glanced up from where he was.

"I'm leaving your clothes here," Hongjoong continued, handing Wooyoung a bag. "There's a phone too." San nodded, glancing up from the book.

"Will you get out? I'm waiting for my client right now," He saw Seonghwa pushing Mjngi out of his apartment. Mingi had his arms folded in from of him, smirking at Seonghwa. Wooyoung almost laughed at him. Mingi seemed to be intent on making Seonghwa's life that much harder bc he suddenly went limp and fell onto Seonghwa.

His attention, however, was taken by someone else, "Oh! Yeosang, you're here!" Wooyoung waved at his friend, who must've just arrived for the meeting. Wooyoung felt his heart skip a beat, before scolding himself.

"Yeosang? As in Kang Yeosang the writer?" In the short span of time that Wooyoung wasn't paying attention, San was standing behind him. Hongjoong's shoulders stiffened at the mention of the name.

He turned slowly, working his jaw up and down before speaking, "Yeo, Yeosang?" Yeosang's eyes widened equally.

"Wait, you guys know each other?" Seonghwa sputtered, saying what was on everybody's minds.

"Yeah, he's my...he's mine," Hongjoong spoke slowly, eyes not leaving Yeosang even for a moment.

"I'm yours," Yeosang stepped forward, eyes a little misty as he stumbled into a hug. Hongjoong hugged him so tightly, burying his face into his shoulder. Wooyoung felt his heart shatter - even more than it was before. Yeosang and Hongjoong clearly knew each other well. Wooyoung looked away as they shared a kiss. He looked at San, who, in turn, was looking at him. He broke the eye contact immediately, heart hammering at the closeness.

"So...is anyone else confused?" Mingi butted in, breaking the silent atmosphere. San quietly hushed Mingi, letting the two gather their senses.

Wooyoung played with a frayed piece of thread on his sleeve, not daring to look up and see Yeosang so happy, "So...are you guys also...?"

"Yeah, we're bonded," Yeosang smiled as Hongjoong kept burying his face into his neck. "We actually dated for a while before he showed me that he was a selkie. And then he proposed to me and we bonded."

"I'm assuming that San and Mingi are selkies too," Yeosang stared over at Wooyoung. "Wait don't tell me...Woo?"

Wooyoung made a face, "It was an accident. I touched his fur by accident." He was amused by the fact that Yeosang wasn't suspicious of Mingi and Seonghwa since sparks flew every time their eyes met. And not in a good way.

"Maybe this is good," Yeosang commented. Five pairs of eyes swiveled to him. Yeosang blinked innocently, continuing to stand.

He cleared his throat with a groan, "Will you guys stop staring at me? And Woo and Hwa those glares aren't gonna stop me. Wooyoung always complains that he's lonely, so now San can accompany you. And in return, you can teach San about the human world."

"I am not lonely," Wooyoung complained, his cheeks tinting slightly red. San was smiling over at Yeosang, which ticked off Wooyoung slightly.

"Listen, I know you guys aren't in love like me and Sangie but please get along. Fighting will get you nowhere," Hongjoong chimed in, totally comfortable with Yeosang. It made Wooyoung's stomach flip painfully.

"That's all he was doing these past few hours," San remarked. "He kept fighting me with his words."

"Hey! You fought back," Wooyoung huffed, glaring at him pointedly. San just smiled mischievously, leaning against the opposite door frame.

"So am I the only single one here? Well that blows," Mingi's voice took a dramatic edge. "Oh wait, Seonghwa's here." San watched Seonghwa's eyebrows furrow.

"How do you even know I'm single?" Seonghwa scoffed out. Mingi just does a really bad wink at him.

"You guys are gross," San concluded.

"I agree," Wooyoung shook his head mockingly. He caught San's eye. Before he looked away, Wooyoung swore that there was a little smile on his face.

"Can I talk a little to Yeosang? Mingi you tell them the news," Hongjoong couldn't spare one second to look away from Yeosang. They talked in hushed whispers and loving smiles.

"Right, what Hongjoong was going to announce before his secret boyfriend showed up is that we won't be able to check in on San a lot since he got a job. I also have a part-time job," Mingi spoked from where he was leaning on the wall

"So I'll stay here with Wooyoung?"

Mingi leaned forward to look at him, "Yeah, you'll stay here with Wooyoung. We'll drop by maybe once a week to check-in. Hongjoong will transfer money for San's living costs later."

"Can I use the money to buy books?" San chimed in, giving Mingi hopeful eyes.

"You're not joking are you?" Mingi shook his head. "It's for food and living costs, Wooyoung gets to decide that." San looked over at him now. He smiled a smile that Wooyoung would call "charming", giving him a little wave of the hand.

"Oh sh*t, it's almost time for my shift. Hongjoong, we gotta go. You have to drive me there. You can meet up with your boyfriend later, he has a meeting too," Mingi waved his arms around frantically, trying to get his point across. Wooyoung bid his goodbyes, giving Yeosang a fake smile and his congratulations. He shut the door, slowly exhaling from his nose before turning to face San.

"Give it to me," San said, stretching out his hand. Oh right. Wooyoung was still holding on to his clothes.

"You're so bossy," Wooyoung teased, handing the hefty bag to San. San just scoffed, walking into the bathroom with the bag in hand. Wooyoung went into his own room, taking a short shower. As he was getting dressed, there was a quiet knock on his door.

He barely slipped on his shirt before answering, "Come in." A grey shirt hugged San's frame, a pair of shorts hung on his hips. His hair was still really wet but he didn't seem bothered by it.

"Dry your hair properly, or else you'll get a cold," Wooyoung scolded lightly. He threw another towel at San, who caught it easily.

"And you're calling me bossy?" San snorted, rubbing his hair with the towel. Wooyoung rolled his eyes.

"What do you want?"

"I want a lot of things. Doesn't mean that I should tell you what they are," San said, still in the doorway. The way his eyes glinted as he said that had goosebumps running up his spine.

"You're so annoying. I hope you know that. If not I'll remind you everyday," Wooyoung huffed. He angled himself so he could watch San as he laid on his bed.

"Anyway, Seonghwa just knocked again, he said that he doesn't like me and to tell you that I should just go up to his apartment."

"He's such a mom," Wooyoung sighed. "Always trying to protect me and all that." He sent Seonghwa a quick text, basically saying no.

"What do you want to do now?" Wooyoung threw his phone onto the other side of the bed. San didn't reply, stepping into the room and circling it. Wooyoung didn't realize that he was holding a book in his hand until he placed it on Wooyoung's shelf.

"Do you have more I can read?" San mumbled almost shyly. He looked like he hated asking Wooyoung about everything but at the same time, he wanted to know more.

Wooyoung decided to be a little mean, "More what?" San seemed ready to throw him out the window.

"Books," San smirked at him. His mood has changed in a span of seconds.

"Or I can just watch you all day, which might be a bit boring but at least I'll learn something." He sat down right in front of the shelf, eyes following Wooyoung's every move. He decided to play along, closing his eyes. He soon grew slightly restless, shifting every few seconds on the bed.

He sighed out, "You're so annoying."

"I asked nicely?"

"Look, the third shelf from the top, there's a book towards the right called 'Soulless' it's the second book in the series," Wooyoung felt him sit on the bed and looked over at him. He was sitting at the edge of the bed.

"You're that close to falling off the bed."

"You're the one who told me to stay 'one meter away at all times'," San said mockingly.

Wooyoung bristled, "I do not sound like that you-"

San scooted closer, starting to read the start of the book, "A scarlet shadow lurked in my vision." Wooyoung stayed silent, listening to San read. San's voice was nice to listen to, Wooyoung thought. He decided to scoot a little closer, propping the pillow a little away from where San was sitting. He found himself zoning out slightly, the soft sound of pages flipping lulling him into a state of peacefulness.

"Wooyoung?" The interruption startled Wooyoung. He sat up too quickly, losing his balance in only a few seconds. San caught his arm quickly. There was a thump of something falling onto the ground. He opened his eyes, San's chest centimeters away from him.

San, however, had a scowl on his face, "You made me lose my page." Wooyoung looked at the floor, where the book sat after it fell.

He sprang away from San, dusting off the book, "Sorry, sorry. Why'd you call me?"

"I asked you a question," San scratched his head, accepting the book. "What is it like to be in love?" Wooyoung's tongue felt like lead inside his mouth.

"I don't...I don't know. In books, they usually say that they care more for a person, and their heart races when the person is near. They think about the person a lot and want them to be happy. They might want to, uh..." Wooyoung paused for a moment.

"They might want to what?" He prompted, nudging Wooyoung with the book.

"Kiss the person? Hug them and be close to them. Hold their hand. Physical affection basically," Wooyoung circled his wrist with his fingers nervously.

"Have you ever been in love?"

Wooyoung felt a bit kicked, "Maybe? I'm not too sure..." His eyes wandered to the book lying on the floor.

"So, Yeosang?" San remarked. Was he really that obvious?

"How did you- yeah..I was in love with him. But that was years ago," San just looked at him a little weirdly. Wooyoung felt nervous under his gaze. His feelings for Yeosang never faded all the way. He knew that.

"Anyway, I have a question for you this time, fishbrains," Wooyoung grinned at his scowl.

"Don't call me that-"

"Why? Is that a problem?" Wooyoung smiled victoriously. Two can play at this game.

"And you said I was the annoying one. Now, what's your question before I go back to reading," San leaned back on the bed, lying on Wooyoung's blanket. He found it a little funny how San looked with the star-speckled blanket under him. He looked younger somehow.

"How long has it been since you went to the human world?" The room fell into a lapse of silence. It seemed like he would never answer the question.

"Since I was around six, I think," San replied, thoughts sounding distant.

"That's not too long ago," Wooyoung said. "You're no older than me right?"

San stared before speaking again, "Actually I'm over a thousand years old. Maybe a little more."

"Wait, you should be a skeleton by now?" Wooyoung said, confused.

"Selkies stop aging at twenty. They start aging again when they find their bonded. After they share a year with their bonded, they can live a long life with them."

"Unless they're bonded with a human, I think. You can choose to outlive your bonded, which means that you'll live the rest of your life alone. Or you can choose age as humans do. To beg Fate."

"Since you asked two questions: What do you mean beg Fate?" San hummed in approval of the question.

"Fate is one of the greater beings in our world. They are always watching. Like the night we met? There was a flash of stars in the sky. That was Fate telling me this was all planned out. It is cruel sometimes," San said decisively. He opened the book again, starting to read once more. Wooyoung was at a loss for words. He silently observed San as he read.

Wooyoung stood up, walking out of the room. San's gaze on the book didn't waver. Wooyoung hastily grabbed some food. He walked back inside, sitting on the bed. He nudged San's leg with the plate, hoping to talk to him a little more. San graced him with his attention, giving him and his stallion heart a run. He didn't know why he felt so nervous.

"I thought you might want some food, it's sorta, uh, late. You might want to sleep soon," Wooyoung held up his own sandwich quietly.

"Can I sleep here?" His question had Wooyoung's heart running at full speed.

"You what? No, you're sleeping outside." San just smiled lazily, setting the book on the table before biting into the sandwich. That made him start sweating nervously.

"Little Zyphrus, I'm asking only to sleep in this room. I'm not suggesting we share a bed," San's finger tapped Wooyoung's skull gently with his finger. "Don't think about weird things."

There it was. That word again.

"I'm not thinking about weird things! And what did you just call me?" San shrugged, not answering his question at all. Wooyoung's throat made a frustrated sound. He can't help it. San was so...so annoying.

"Selkiespeak," San said, already close to finishing his sandwich. "Nothing too bad I promise."

"You *sshole" Wooyoung grumbled. San just smirked some more, going to sit on the ground.

"I'll sleep here, I'll stay one meter away and everything." Wooyoung relented, throwing him the extra pillow on his bed. He felt a bit silly, watching San get comfy on the floor. Wooyoung went to the closet, grabbing the bedding that he never uses. He gave it to San, who looked at him puzzled.

"It's for you to sleep on, idiot," Wooyoung mumbled softly. He threw San the blanket too, saying something along the lines of "It isn't that cold." San looked up at him, the corner of his lip twitching.

"You're not so bad," San genuinely smiled, looking at the starry blanket as if it was the sky. He started tracing a few constellations, still smiling widely. Wooyoung didn't want to admit it, but San looked handsome when he was smiling. His eyes lit up and the dimples he didn't know San had popped out just a little.

"Y-yeah...same for you," Wooyoung turned off the light by his bedside, the only light illuminating the room. San made a small noise but said nothing. Wooyoung laid flat on his back, not knowing how he was going to fall asleep. He felt restless, as one should when sleeping in a room with a stranger. Though he felt nervous, he knew it was probably impossible for San to hurt him. If he wanted to, he had the whole day to do so.

He bit his lip, thoughts running on a neverending power source - words and ideas clashing in his mind. He didn't know how long it had been since San had seemingly fallen asleep. His breaths were the only thing in the room that Wooyoung could focus on, the only thing constant enough. Was that a weird thing to think about? Wooyoung felt a bit lightheaded. Was he being weird? He is a stranger, so to some degree, it was.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed his arm, making him jump at the contact. It was San. It was just San. In all Wooyoung's thinking he didn't hear San sit up and reach for him.

"Zyphrus," San's sleep-coated voice sounded deeper than usual. "Just relax. I can't sleep if you're this restless." And just like that, a wall of calm hit him. It was strange, how it suddenly came out of nowhere. He turned toward San. He saw him settling under the blanket of stars. The word magical crossed his mind.

Then slowly, his eyes started to shut. His breathing evened out, and he didn't even catch the fact that San had called him that weird word again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading the new chapter, all the kudos and comments i got last chapter were greatly appreciated!! what did you guys think about woosan's relationship so far??


	3. NOTICE !! pls read

hi guys !!

i'm so sorry that this has been on hiatus for so longgg >~< i had a huge writers block when it came to writing this so i had to take a step back and rethink what i was gonna do with this fic. what i ended up doing is changing a few plot points and re-writing a bit of what i already posted. i'm ready to repost this fic, since a lot has changed since the last time i updated :]

i hope that you guys can continue to show love to zephyr, i'll update you when i post the first chapter !! thank you for all the support that you already gave the fic, it's definitely more than i could ever imagine :D

i'll be back soon with the new and improved zephyr !! look forward to it <3

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for taking time to read my story and see you next week for new updates! I love youuuu


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